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Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 - Travel (244) - Nairaland

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Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Kingsmanjay(m): 11:52pm On Nov 13, 2019
CanadianWasp:
Sooo, this might be quite a long read. Will try and make it short so it doesn't turn into a snoozefest, lol.

We (spouse, kid & I) landed in Edmonton October, 2018 and I want to say how it's been for us, hoping there might be some useful hints for those landing soon. Caveat: strictly my experience and my opinion smiley

Landing and Settling in



I have found a mentor. My challenge was wether to settle in Alberta or Ontario. I chose the latter pending the outcome of things. Planning on doing the NCA here then afterwards, may go to Alberta for the articling and bar finals.

2 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Dollywood(m): 12:03am On Nov 14, 2019
I heard Canada is one hell of a boring country, so how do u guys cope with the boredom in the country?Do u guys watch movies or play video games?
I just wanna hear from you guys

10 Likes

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by WoodcrestMayor(m): 1:42am On Nov 14, 2019
You go need send me PM, chief.
I am not allowed to post "ads" for RBC smiley
Jbelieve:


Details please

4 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Dyolahh: 3:56am On Nov 14, 2019
Hmmm sorry to derail the gist oooo. First shocker since I got into Calgary. We went into Walmart, came out with groceries. Dh was putting in bags into the trunk and he heard a funny noise from the car plate and noticed that wasn’t his screws , he looked even closer and realized our plates were swapped with another. Na so we call police ooo. Long story short, the swapped plate was stolen last month. We wrote statements (the police even commended Dh on being very observant) and had to go get a new plate.

Abeg always check your plates before driving away!

71 Likes 23 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Stencil: 4:15am On Nov 14, 2019
Umm?
[deletes sarcastic response]

Dollywood:
I heard Canada is one hell of a boring country, so how do u guys cope with the boredom in the country?Do u guys watch movies or play video games?
I just wanna hear from you guys

13 Likes

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by einsteino(m): 7:30am On Nov 14, 2019
WoodcrestMayor:
Make i follow add mouth for this matter. cheesy

Get insurance coverage where you can to protect your cash flow. You fall in winter and you're unable to work for 3months. Your work pays you 55-75% of your income but this isn't enough to see you through the month. The amount from work ideally should only cover your feeding and lifestyle.Mortgages and other loans shouldn't be a part of what you pay from short/long term disability income. It is a good idea to take separate insurance on loans so you have one less payment to worry about if stuff happen.

I had something like that on my credit card, the monthly premium for the insurance made me prefer risking all that. So, I cancelled the insurance lol. It makes sense for me since I don't have mortgage or loan to service yet.

7 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by einsteino(m): 7:37am On Nov 14, 2019
Newww:


Please can you advice which of the provinces would permit direct application to P.Eng.
Also, do we need to write any exams?
Thanks.

I can only speak of Ontario. PEO allows direct application for P.Eng. However, tIt is still left to their discretion and evaluation to determine if you should be asked to sit for technical exams, come for interview or do both. In the end they would decide wether you get EIT without acknowledging your experience(meaning you would wait at least 4years to P.Eng) or EIT awaiting Canadian experience(1 year left to P.Eng). For details consult the website of the licensing body for the province of interest.
Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Dollywood(m): 9:01am On Nov 14, 2019
Stencil:
Umm?
[deletes sarcastic response]


Huh? I don't understand you
Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Palominopeaches(f): 9:23am On Nov 14, 2019
WoodcrestMayor:
*mic check 1,2*

Canny way people wey go land between now and Jan 31, RBC get some better offer for una o! grin
If you dey land for Edmonton, na me be your plug.

Holla8)
Chief I just sent you a mail
Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by ISonya: 11:50am On Nov 14, 2019
I sent you a mail.

WoodcrestMayor:
*mic check 1,2*

Canny way people wey go land between now and Jan 31, RBC get some better offer for una o! grin
If you dey land for Edmonton, na me be your plug.

Holla8)
Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by kraits03: 12:25pm On Nov 14, 2019
abeg post the sarcastic response and the real response.

we are really curious so we can know what to expect. thanks man!

Stencil:
Umm?
[deletes sarcastic response]

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by salford1: 1:14pm On Nov 14, 2019
Dollywood:
I heard Canada is one hell of a boring country, so how do u guys cope with the boredom in the country?Do u guys watch movies or play video games?
I just wanna hear from you guys

I have been thinking of how to answer this question. I would type a response, then decide to ignore.

Well, who "not boring" epp?

Some of us came to Canada for better living and a quality lifestyle, not to chase excitement, or look for events to increase our adrenaline or HBP - Lagos has plenty of that.

Infact, after arriving Canada, some of us even move into more quiet areas to live an even more boring life, like some of the naija folks I have met in my new city of residence cheesy.

I moved from Calgary to a city of 16k people by what I will call stroke of luck, and now that we have had several opportunities to move back to a bigger city - Calgary inclusive, we would back track when we think if what we would be leaving behind. Things like driving from home to work places under 10 minutes, kids schools under 10minutes, doctor and hospital - under 10minutes: Infact the doc is only one call away, emergency-out of hospital under 30minutes, cheaper housing and living expenses (for the 1st time, we were able to bank over 100k within a year since moving to Canada, this was after taking out expenses, including hols outside the country), kids daycare under 10min, very flexible working hours, a drive to farms to buy better chicken, beef and goat - under 20minutes, going to malls - under 10minutes, kids taekwondo and swimming classes - under 10minutes, prime amazon delivery gets stuffs to our doorstep, low crime rate etc. I am driving to Regina today for a work meeting and already dreading the small Regina traffic.

On public holidays, we Nigerians (docs, specialists, engineers, pharms, accountants, others still in licensing process, and those looking to God for good jobs etc) in our boring city gather together to party, cook, drink, merry, and discuss about naija. After hols, we return to our boring city lifestyle of taking care of our families.

We might move back to a bigger city later, but we want to enjoy this boring lifestyle to the fullest first cool, and when we do move back to an exciting city or country, it won't be for excitement seeking reasons.

118 Likes 22 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by DadR: 2:05pm On Nov 14, 2019
Oga Salford1, I love this kind of "boring" lifestyle o. It just makes a lot of sense. Wetin man pikin want again? I guess Sask is your province of residence...

Cheers.

Hakuna Matata

salford1:


I have been thinking of how to answer this question. I would type a response, then decide to ignore.

Well, who "not boring" help?

Some of us came to Canada for better living and a quality lifestyle, not to chase excitement, or look for events to increase our adrenaline or HBP - Lagos has plenty of that.

Infact, after arriving Canada, some of us even move into more quiet areas to live an even more boring life, like some of the naija folks I have met in my new city of residence lol.

I moved from Calgary to a city of 16k people by what I will call stroke of luck, and now that we have had several opportunities to move back to a bigger city - Calgary inclusive, we would back track when we think if what we would be leaving behind. Things like driving from home to work places under 10 minutes, kids schools under 10minutes, doctor and hospital - under 10minutes: Infact the doc is only one call away, emergency-out of hospital under 30minutes, cheaper housing and living expenses (for the 1st time, we were able to bank over 100k within a year since moving to Canada, this was after taking out expenses, including hols outside the country), kids daycare under 10min, very flexible working hours, a drive to farms to buy better chicken, beef and goat - under 20minutes, going to malls - under 10minutes, kids taekwondo and swimming classes - under 10minutes, prime amazon delivery gets stuffs to our doorstep, low crime rate etc. I am driving to Regina today for a work meeting and already dreading the small Regina traffic.

On public holidays, we Nigerians (docs, specialists, engineers, pharms, accountants, others still in licensing process, and those looking to God for good jobs etc) in our boring city gather together to party, cook, drink, merry, and discuss about naija. After hols, we return to our boring city lifestyle of taking care of our families.

We might move back to a bigger city later, but we want to enjoy this boring lifestyle to the fullest first lol, and when we do, it won't be for excitement seeking reasons.



3 Likes

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Yemmyjimmy: 2:23pm On Nov 14, 2019
lobell:

lmaooooooooo


How this baby go take pee if e hook am well well for public?
Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by hayor2014(m): 3:29pm On Nov 14, 2019
G4lady:
Please any ACA (ICAN) who has successfully registered as a student member of CPA Ontario, please i need some clarification. Just response i will PM you. Thanks alot

ICAN is useless here, it's not counting for anything with CPA, are your still I in Nigeria
Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Yemmyjimmy: 4:38pm On Nov 14, 2019
this is a beautiful story.....i laughed and laughed so much,tears are coming from my eyes. i love my Nigerians and their spin on every experience abroad.you sir are gifted ...


bily:

Take your time to read the story below... Hope it answers your question

Raccoon Orientation for Canada-Bound Nigerians

By *Pius Adesanmi*

I promised I was going to get around to tell you all this story.
Eventually.

Happened last summer – before my accident.

The jazz of all my political enemies in Nigeria finally crossed the Atlantic and caught up with me here in Ottawa.

The trouble with Homo Occidentalis North Americanus is that as soon as he arrives within a certain income bracket that is no longer middleclass but not quite upperclass but dangerously close to upperclass, he will move far away from the city and create a new paradise he calls upscale suburbia. Swanky neigbourhoods with manicured lawns, removed from the rabble of the city.

That is where you will find high-earning doctors, engineers, accountants, lawyers, etc. If you are a Professor who negotiated a good pay when you were hired, you also tag along, buy property among them, and begin to form associate big man.

Trouble is suburbia in Canada or the US is always encroaching on the habitat of much older residents. Man steals land from these residents but cannot always predict consequences. That is why a family in Florida will return from work to an alligator chilling in their swimming pool. That is why a family in Arizona will grumble about rattle snakes all over their yard. They call animal services. Never mind that these animals have called that place home for millions of years before man put one leg on top of another leg and developed his suburbia there.

In Ottawa, if you live in the suburbia called Riverside South as I do, you have encroached on prime raccoon territory. As in Florida and Arizona, these raccoons have a way of behaving like omo onile in Lagos. Occasionally, they let you know who truly owns the land (This is where you google raccoon).

Because the jazz of my political enemies in Nigeria worked as I was saying, a family of raccoons elected residence in our roof last summer. We’d been hearing mawuru mawuru in the ceiling for months. The noise would come only at night. Tise said it was the tooth faerie. I thought it was squirrels, but we couldn’t fathom how squirrels could tear into the roof of a duplex from outside and make their way into the attic.

One day, madam called me urgently and asked me to hurry home. I arrived to a small situation in front of our home. Our otherwise very friendly neighbours had converged on our front lawn. It was quite a scene. Bloodshot eyes everywhere. No friendly faces. In upscale suburbia, we are naturally the only non-white homeowners within a certain radius so when normally friendly white neighbours converge, looking sorrowful and unfriendly, you worry.

I exited my car to behold quite a scene. Unknown to us, we had accommodated a pregnant raccoon for several weeks. Mama Raccoon eventually gave birth to six pups. On this day, she suddenly went crazy like she found a mixture of codeine, sniper, and tramadol in our attic. She began to fling her babies down on the lawn one by one. From the roof of a duplex fa.

That explained the sadness and sorrow of our neighbours. Remember, this is an animal-loving civilization. It also explained their hostility. Somehow, it must have been something we did that got that poor animal so crazy that she began to murder her own kids. Everybody was looking at us one kain, like, what have you guys done now?

The only analogy for you in Nigeria is if your home was invaded by destructive giant rats. You’d tried everything from traps to rat poison. Then, one day, Mama Rat begins to miraculously kill her own children before your very before. Only for your neighbours to gather around sorrowfully because those awesome baby animals are dying. Only for them to be hostile to you for not doing enough to keep the baby rats alive!

Anyway, animal services eventually arrived to rescue some of the babies that had not yet died. Come and see interrogation! Even Tise did not escape questioning! Are you guys perhaps a little noisy in the house? What time do you all normally sleep?

Nigerians, believe you me, Oyinbo was trying to determine if we did something to cause the postpartum depression of Mama Raccoon, which led her to killing her babies!! They began to explain the characteristics of raccoons to us. How it was still too early for her to bring her babies out, let alone fling them from the roof. There was the unsaid: you guys must have done something.

When we were eventually “acquitted”, the animal services people went into our attic to inspect. They screamed in excitement: three more babies that Mama Raccoon had yet to fling! We said: thank God. Now you can evacuate Mama Raccoon and her remaining babies.

I hope you all know that in Obodo Oyibo, public animals are government property. All those doves you see in Trafalgar Square or the squirrels you see on lawns, geese, ati bebelo, are all government property. Una wey dey go holiday in London from Nigeria, go to Trafalgar Square and touch a dove, that is the day you will realize that the life of a public animal is worth more to the government of obodo oyibo than your life is worth to the Nigerian government.

So, we asked Obodo Canada to please carry their raccoons from our ceiling. We were in for another shock. She is a nursing mother, the animal services people replied, we don’t move nursing mothers. By law, Mama Raccoon has the right to remain here and nurse her remaining babies. We will keep checking.

I have been in Obodo Oyibo for 22 years. I didn’t see that one coming. Apparently, the Raccoon had eminent domain! The best they could do for us was to come and move her at the end of the biological breeding cycle or something to that effect. With that, they entered their van and zoomed off.

I looked on in wonderment, lost in one of those na-who-send-me-come-obodo-oyibo moments that every Diasporan goes through on occasion. With which mouth am I even going to tell this sort of story to a Nigerian audience?

Then I noticed that Tise all along had had the same attitude as our Oyinbo neighbours.

Now she is glad that some Raccoon babies had survived and would not be moved.

I realized that only her parents had a problem.

I realized that we were two Nigerians raising a Canadian.

This is her country.
This is her culture.
These are her people.
These are her baby raccoons.

I jejely borrowed myself brain and joined the little girl in rejoicing that three baby raccoons had survived.

12 Likes 1 Share

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Pwinkle1(f): 4:47pm On Nov 14, 2019
bily:
Raccoon Orientation for Canada-Bound Nigerians

By *Pius Adesanmi*

Then I noticed that Tise all along had had the same attitude as our Oyinbo neighbours.

Now she is glad that some Raccoon babies had survived and would not be moved.

I realized that only her parents had a problem.

I realized that we were two Nigerians raising a Canadian.

This is her country.
This is her culture.
These are her people.
These are her baby raccoons.

I jejely borrowed myself brain and joined the little girl in rejoicing that three baby raccoons had survived.

Please abeg me I'm happy for Tise, such a nice read! grin grin cool

Sorry that I'm late to the party lol

1 Like

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by ope2000(m): 5:06pm On Nov 14, 2019
CHECK skyscanner for cheap flight . December is a peak period . If you dont mind 25th u can get a good deal

1 Like 2 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by BoazBoo: 5:47pm On Nov 14, 2019
Hi everyone, i'm new here. Please I need help in respect of this issue:

My husband is resident in Canada and he recently got his PR as the principal applicant. However, I got a mail requesting for my international passport yesterday and part of the requirement for submission is that my passport should have at least 6 months validity. Currently, my passport has 4 months validity and i don't know how to go about this. I have tried to make contacts with immigration but no one could guarantee when i would get the new passport.
The problem now is, do i go ahead and submit the old passport with 4 months validity or wait to get a new one? also i would like to know if anyone has had a similar experience.

Thanks
Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Flytime: 5:50pm On Nov 14, 2019
BoazBoo:
Hi everyone, i'm new here. Please I need help in respect of this issue:

My husband is resident in Canada and he recently got his PR as the principal applicant. However, I got a mail requesting for my international passport yesterday and part of the requirement for submission is that my passport should have at least 6 months validity. Currently, my passport has 4 months validity and i don't know how to go about this. I have tried to make contacts with immigration but no one could guarantee when i would get the new passport.
The problem now is, do i go ahead and submit the old passport with 4 months validity or wait to get a new one? also i would like to know if anyone has had a similar experience.

Thanks
it's best to get a new one to avoid any issue

1 Like

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by adetemio: 5:53pm On Nov 14, 2019
Pls guys I need help on anyone who has gotten Schedule A, filled the same thing or made little adjustment and has gotten ppr, esp the nysc part already filled as a govt job. There has been back and forth as to whether to change it to employment or leave it as it is wen refilling the schedule A to avoid inconsistency and attach an Loe, I'm really confused
Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by jesusbaby01: 7:32pm On Nov 14, 2019
Mimi1999:
Good day.
Please has anyone here used Qatar or Emirates to travel to Calgary before? How was it? Are there restrictions with regards food items that can be carried on and checked in different from others?
I got a very good deal and thought to let ET and Lufthansa rest for a bit.
Thanks!

Yes I have travelled to Canada(montreal) via Qatar. Had no Issues with my food. Carried everything except what Canada considers as contraband(milk,meat/meat products) and I also had no plam oil. but the others I carried.. Elubo,poundo,garri,yam,beans,ofada rice,cake etc. so I don't think you have an issue oh and i carried stockfish,crayfish

5 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by WoodcrestMayor(m): 7:40pm On Nov 14, 2019
The insurance on credit card makes sense mainly for people who leave balances on their credit cards. I canceled mine because I didn't need it. Weigh am wella...if you no need am,
no take am.
I recommend insurance on loans sha...any loan wey you no fit vex pay off if gbege happen, reason insurance ontop am.
einsteino:


I had something like that on my credit card, the monthly premium for the insurance made me prefer risking all that. So, I cancelled the insurance lol. It makes sense for me since I don't have mortgage or loan to service yet.

3 Likes 8 Shares

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by pejuhazel(f): 8:21pm On Nov 14, 2019
Please anyone living in Calgary and knows an agent or landord willing to rent to new immigrants. We'll be landing next month after Xmas so we'll be fine with a lease that starts 1st of January will be perfect. We are a family of 3.

4 Likes

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Dollywood(m): 9:07pm On Nov 14, 2019
salford1:


I have been thinking of how to answer this question. I would type a response, then decide to ignore.

Well, who "not boring" epp?

Some of us came to Canada for better living and a quality lifestyle, not to chase excitement, or look for events to increase our adrenaline or HBP - Lagos has plenty of that.

Infact, after arriving Canada, some of us even move into more quiet areas to live an even more boring life, like some of the naija folks I have met in my new city of residence cheesy.

I moved from Calgary to a city of 16k people by what I will call stroke of luck, and now that we have had several opportunities to move back to a bigger city - Calgary inclusive, we would back track when we think if what we would be leaving behind. Things like driving from home to work places under 10 minutes, kids schools under 10minutes, doctor and hospital - under 10minutes: Infact the doc is only one call away, emergency-out of hospital under 30minutes, cheaper housing and living expenses (for the 1st time, we were able to bank over 100k within a year since moving to Canada, this was after taking out expenses, including hols outside the country), kids daycare under 10min, very flexible working hours, a drive to farms to buy better chicken, beef and goat - under 20minutes, going to malls - under 10minutes, kids taekwondo and swimming classes - under 10minutes, prime amazon delivery gets stuffs to our doorstep, low crime rate etc. I am driving to Regina today for a work meeting and already dreading the small Regina traffic.

On public holidays, we Nigerians (docs, specialists, engineers, pharms, accountants, others still in licensing process, and those looking to God for good jobs etc) in our boring city gather together to party, cook, drink, merry, and discuss about naija. After hols, we return to our boring city lifestyle of taking care of our families.

We might move back to a bigger city later, but we want to enjoy this boring lifestyle to the fullest first cool, and when we do move back to an exciting city or country, it won't be for excitement seeking reasons.





I really love your answer, I've a relative which we bear the same surname, he's like a father to me he's currently in Canada for two years now he already gotten his PR last year December, so the thing is that he plans to bring his family which conclude of his wife and his only daughter plus me as his step-son. The processing already on since the beginning of this year but he's assuring us that it's gonna click to be patient till he get response from the Canada Government, but I'm a bit worried cos it's already 8months now, So my question is Hope they won't be any problem concerning our travelling?

3 Likes

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by omotola90(m): 10:36pm On Nov 14, 2019
hayor2014:


ICAN is useless here, it's not counting for anything with CPA, are your still I in Nigeria
how about acca
Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by abbey4christ(m): 10:37pm On Nov 14, 2019
Hey Salford, i live in the Greens in Regina, i came in July and landed in Regina. People ask me why Regina and i tell them its nice and quiet
salford1:


I have been thinking of how to answer this question. I would type a response, then decide to ignore.

Well, who "not boring" epp?

Some of us came to Canada for better living and a quality lifestyle, not to chase excitement, or look for events to increase our adrenaline or HBP - Lagos has plenty of that.

Infact, after arriving Canada, some of us even move into more quiet areas to live an even more boring life, like some of the naija folks I have met in my new city of residence cheesy.

I moved from Calgary to a city of 16k people by what I will call stroke of luck, and now that we have had several opportunities to move back to a bigger city - Calgary inclusive, we would back track when we think if what we would be leaving behind. Things like driving from home to work places under 10 minutes, kids schools under 10minutes, doctor and hospital - under 10minutes: Infact the doc is only one call away, emergency-out of hospital under 30minutes, cheaper housing and living expenses (for the 1st time, we were able to bank over 100k within a year since moving to Canada, this was after taking out expenses, including hols outside the country), kids daycare under 10min, very flexible working hours, a drive to farms to buy better chicken, beef and goat - under 20minutes, going to malls - under 10minutes, kids taekwondo and swimming classes - under 10minutes, prime amazon delivery gets stuffs to our doorstep, low crime rate etc. I am driving to Regina today for a work meeting and already dreading the small Regina traffic.

On public holidays, we Nigerians (docs, specialists, engineers, pharms, accountants, others still in licensing process, and those looking to God for good jobs etc) in our boring city gather together to party, cook, drink, merry, and discuss about naija. After hols, we return to our boring city lifestyle of taking care of our families.

We might move back to a bigger city later, but we want to enjoy this boring lifestyle to the fullest first cool, and when we do move back to an exciting city or country, it won't be for excitement seeking reasons.



6 Likes

Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by mamatea: 10:48pm On Nov 14, 2019
grin cheesy Abeg, please, jo, Biko,how can I like this twice. grin grin grin

bily:

Take your time to read the story below... Hope it answers your question

Raccoon Orientation for Canada-Bound Nigerians

By *Pius Adesanmi*

I promised I was going to get around to tell you all this story.
Eventually.

Happened last summer – before my accident.

The jazz of all my political enemies in Nigeria finally crossed the Atlantic and caught up with me here in Ottawa.

The trouble with Homo Occidentalis North Americanus is that as soon as he arrives within a certain income bracket that is no longer middleclass but not quite upperclass but dangerously close to upperclass, he will move far away from the city and create a new paradise he calls upscale suburbia. Swanky neigbourhoods with manicured lawns, removed from the rabble of the city.

That is where you will find high-earning doctors, engineers, accountants, lawyers, etc. If you are a Professor who negotiated a good pay when you were hired, you also tag along, buy property among them, and begin to form associate big man.

Trouble is suburbia in Canada or the US is always encroaching on the habitat of much older residents. Man steals land from these residents but cannot always predict consequences. That is why a family in Florida will return from work to an alligator chilling in their swimming pool. That is why a family in Arizona will grumble about rattle snakes all over their yard. They call animal services. Never mind that these animals have called that place home for millions of years before man put one leg on top of another leg and developed his suburbia there.

In Ottawa, if you live in the suburbia called Riverside South as I do, you have encroached on prime raccoon territory. As in Florida and Arizona, these raccoons have a way of behaving like omo onile in Lagos. Occasionally, they let you know who truly owns the land (This is where you google raccoon).

Because the jazz of my political enemies in Nigeria worked as I was saying, a family of raccoons elected residence in our roof last summer. We’d been hearing mawuru mawuru in the ceiling for months. The noise would come only at night. Tise said it was the tooth faerie. I thought it was squirrels, but we couldn’t fathom how squirrels could tear into the roof of a duplex from outside and make their way into the attic.

One day, madam called me urgently and asked me to hurry home. I arrived to a small situation in front of our home. Our otherwise very friendly neighbours had converged on our front lawn. It was quite a scene. Bloodshot eyes everywhere. No friendly faces. In upscale suburbia, we are naturally the only non-white homeowners within a certain radius so when normally friendly white neighbours converge, looking sorrowful and unfriendly, you worry.

I exited my car to behold quite a scene. Unknown to us, we had accommodated a pregnant raccoon for several weeks. Mama Raccoon eventually gave birth to six pups. On this day, she suddenly went crazy like she found a mixture of codeine, sniper, and tramadol in our attic. She began to fling her babies down on the lawn one by one. From the roof of a duplex fa.

That explained the sadness and sorrow of our neighbours. Remember, this is an animal-loving civilization. It also explained their hostility. Somehow, it must have been something we did that got that poor animal so crazy that she began to murder her own kids. Everybody was looking at us one kain, like, what have you guys done now?

The only analogy for you in Nigeria is if your home was invaded by destructive giant rats. You’d tried everything from traps to rat poison. Then, one day, Mama Rat begins to miraculously kill her own children before your very before. Only for your neighbours to gather around sorrowfully because those awesome baby animals are dying. Only for them to be hostile to you for not doing enough to keep the baby rats alive!

Anyway, animal services eventually arrived to rescue some of the babies that had not yet died. Come and see interrogation! Even Tise did not escape questioning! Are you guys perhaps a little noisy in the house? What time do you all normally sleep?

Nigerians, believe you me, Oyinbo was trying to determine if we did something to cause the postpartum depression of Mama Raccoon, which led her to killing her babies!! They began to explain the characteristics of raccoons to us. How it was still too early for her to bring her babies out, let alone fling them from the roof. There was the unsaid: you guys must have done something.

When we were eventually “acquitted”, the animal services people went into our attic to inspect. They screamed in excitement: three more babies that Mama Raccoon had yet to fling! We said: thank God. Now you can evacuate Mama Raccoon and her remaining babies.

I hope you all know that in Obodo Oyibo, public animals are government property. All those doves you see in Trafalgar Square or the squirrels you see on lawns, geese, ati bebelo, are all government property. Una wey dey go holiday in London from Nigeria, go to Trafalgar Square and touch a dove, that is the day you will realize that the life of a public animal is worth more to the government of obodo oyibo than your life is worth to the Nigerian government.

So, we asked Obodo Canada to please carry their raccoons from our ceiling. We were in for another shock. She is a nursing mother, the animal services people replied, we don’t move nursing mothers. By law, Mama Raccoon has the right to remain here and nurse her remaining babies. We will keep checking.

I have been in Obodo Oyibo for 22 years. I didn’t see that one coming. Apparently, the Raccoon had eminent domain! The best they could do for us was to come and move her at the end of the biological breeding cycle or something to that effect. With that, they entered their van and zoomed off.

I looked on in wonderment, lost in one of those na-who-send-me-come-obodo-oyibo moments that every Diasporan goes through on occasion. With which mouth am I even going to tell this sort of story to a Nigerian audience?

Then I noticed that Tise all along had had the same attitude as our Oyinbo neighbours.

Now she is glad that some Raccoon babies had survived and would not be moved.

I realized that only her parents had a problem.

I realized that we were two Nigerians raising a Canadian.

This is her country.
This is her culture.
These are her people.
These are her baby raccoons.

I jejely borrowed myself brain and joined the little girl in rejoicing that three baby raccoons had survived.

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Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by jesusbaby01: 12:09am On Nov 15, 2019
pejuhazel:
Please anyone living in Calgary and knows an agent or landord willing to rent to new immigrants. We'll be landing next month after Xmas so we'll be fine with a lease that starts 1st of January will be perfect. We are a family of 3.

I think you should get an airbnb for starters to get yourself running. Start searching for apartments on Facebook Marketplace and Rentfaster.ca, Change your location to Calgary for better results. Well I got 2 apartments through Rentfaster, I suggested Airbnb so you can see the apartment yourself to know if you like it rather than renting without seeing it. And if you have a trusted person on ground in calgary to check out an apartment for you then you can checkout the option of renting before landing.

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Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Jaygirl20: 12:59am On Nov 15, 2019
quote author=Rinzeye post=83889451]Seniors in the health field pls I need your advice, I'm very confused on what to do. I got my copr last month. I was sponsored by my brother as a dependent child. I graduated as a medical Laboratory scientist last month from a school here in Nigeria. As a medical laboratory science graduate, you have to go for 1 year internship. My question is that should I just to do a soft landing and then come back to do my internship and then travel back or is it possible for me to do my internship in Canada so as to qualify to do the certification exam.
Thanks as you reply[color=#990000][/color][/quote]

Congratulations! I suggest you look through the website of the canadian society of med lab scientists and get answers to your question. This link takes you directly to assess your eligibility for registration --> https://www.csmls.org/Certification/Become-Certified-Internationally-Educated-Profes/First-Steps-to-Certification.aspx
Re: Living In Canada/Life As A Canadian Immigrant Part 2 by Jaygirl20: 1:02am On Nov 15, 2019
Rinzeye:
Seniors in the health field pls I need your advice, I'm very confused on what to do. I got my copr last month. I was sponsored by my brother as a dependent child. I graduated as a medical Laboratory scientist last month from a school here in Nigeria. As a medical laboratory science graduate, you have to go for 1 year internship. My question is that should I just to do a soft landing and then come back to do my internship and then travel back or is it possible for me to do my internship in Canada so as to qualify to do the certification exam.
Thanks as you reply[color=#990000][/color]
Congratulations! I suggest you look through the website of the canadian society of med lab scientists and get answers to your question. This link takes you directly to assess your eligibility for registration --> https://www.csmls.org/Certification/Become-Certified-Internationally-Educated-Profes/First-Steps-to-Certification.aspx

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